Five Decades Later.............

Nostalgic journey down memory lane, attending to Raja Suffian’s reception in honor of his son wedding at Merdeka Hall in Tapah on 20 October 2012 (Saturday). Hit the North South PLUS Highway and detoured at Bukit Beruntung to pick up Amran Din.

Raja Suffian - the Host.

 Raja Suffian extended a special invitation to all GES Tapah Hostelites, the era of 1960 – 1965 to attend the auspicious day. Manan Buyung of Tanjung Malim voluntarily coordinated. Very much regretted, some could not make it. This type of reunion should not be missed as we had been distance for ages and never know when we can ever reunite. Hairs are getting silvery and dropping; some teeth went missing at the Dentist chair and at any moment we may be summon to face the Almighty. 
     

In spite of fifty years of not meeting each other, I was glad Raja Suffian could easily recognize me upon arrival at the Hall entrance. He looks very much different the last time I met him and for sure I would have bypass him if I met him on the street. Not as handsome as before, he laughed when I commented. Raja Suffian two (2) other younger brothers who were also ex Hostelites, Raja Faisal and Raja Fauzi were also presence. Their white beard made me more difficult to pick them out. Surprisingly I was easily recognizable; maybe I stayed young as ever, (ha ha) except for the zinc roofing.
  

Honestly I wasn’t really keen on the wedding and the banquet. I excitedly wanted meeting my old Hostel buddies; that were my top priority. Manan Buyung had pre communicated who would probably attend. Aziz Osman, my senior the biggest Hostel prankster and I still remember all the pranks and the bully. It was all forgotten, instead I hugged the Old Man. Kasim Hamid came all the way from Johore Baru by train and Alias Rashid (Cik Gu) descended the Banjaran Titiwangsa, Cameron Highland. Alias Rashid has lost lots of weight. Arbain Saidi, the most unpredictable guy who threw my blanket on the roof was also presence. Finally after five decades, the notorious Hostel three Musketeers met, Aziz Osman, Kasim Hamid and Dato Panglima. Kasim Hamid still maintained the same P. Ramlee hairstyle. 

Me in green batik, Aziz Osman in white and lutfi Tajuddin with the songkok.

Note the silver hair.

Alias Rashid with the cendol and Jefrul Tariqh.

Lutfi Tajuddin and Amran Din enjoying Tapah cendol.

Kasim Hamid and Halim Said.

Aziz Osman, Dr Yusuf Hashim and Kasim Hamid.

Kasim Hamid and Lutfi Tajuddin.

 Some of them brought their other half but some prefer single as the old stories and laughter would make the wives bored. Others that were presence were Khadzin Hassan, Manan Buyung, Dr Yusuf Hashim, Hatim Tai, Desa Hamid, Nyak Abdullah, Halim Said, Jefrul Tariqh, Lutfi Tajuddin, and Ishak (BC). The title is highly classified as it was conferred by late Baniyamin. 

We gathered under the tent reminiscing the good old days. Raja Suffian was laughing loudly but discreetly when I recollected his memories of the Batu 8 Hot Springs. That was a daring adventure which Raja Suffian, Idris and me undertook but it was clean fun. No casualty whatsoever. Kasim Hamid recollected the miracle when the tricycle packed with the Hostel cookeries slipped down into a ravine but only two plates were broken. The mishap occurred on our way back from a picnic at River Corner. I could not recall who was managing the handle? We laughed about the incident when Dato Panglima scored an own goal during an inter school soccer tournament. We were talking about Ibrahim Mamak, where he went missing? Each of us had their own story to tell. Cameras and IPad came handy to record the moments. At the gathering we acted like we were still the same young “budak hostel” during those days. Nicknames still remembered after 50 long years.

To commemorate the get together we had a group photograph session with the newlywed and Raja Suffian & Puan Mariam. Manan Buyung is preparing a Directory and would forward to the individual concern in due course.

The group photograph with the Newlywed.

Halim Said with Aziz Osman.

Me with Arbain Saidi (Red Batik).

Sandwich between Alias Rashid on the right and Khadzin Hasan on the left.

Dont know what was the conversation between Dr Yusuf and Dato Panglima.

Dr Yusuf Hashim and Raja Suffian.

Kasim Hamid and Amran Din.

It was very much regretted, though near yet so far, we could not get back to the Hostel as it is now turn to a Girls Hostel. I would love to see whether the huge old “binjai” tree at the neighboring compound is still standing.  

As we were recollecting the nostalgic moment, we paid tribute to those Hostelites that had gone back to the Almighty: Fadzli Tajuddin, Baniyamin, Syed Tajul Ariffin, Wak Salim, Aminuddin Basir, Hamzah De Souza, Tamrin, Mohd Abdullah, Sulaiman Sahab, Zahari Yahya, Jamaluddin Tajuddin and Ngah Wahab. Do I miss any? I suggest one fine day, Manan Buyung can arrange for a “tahlil” ceremony for the fallen comrades. The venue: At the Hostel Dining or Prep Hall.

I was a boarder at the Hostel from 1960 – 1962, never regretted the life that I went through with the guys. “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. Amran Din stayed longer from 1959 to 1964. Manan Buyung and I left the Hostel at about the same time, early 1963. I continued Upper Secondary education at TI Penang and Manan Buyung started his secondary education at MCKK.

  

To Manan Buyung – you did a splendid job at your own cost and time rounding up the Comrade. Thank you. I hope to attend more gathering of this nature.